By Olayinka Owolewa

The Kwara Government has listed some conditions that would allow fish farmers to operate within the precincts of the Asa Dam Waterworks.

The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Wahab Agbaje, said this in a communique issued on Friday in Ilorin, at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting held with the fish merchants.

He said that the Ministry of Water Resources has been lamenting the negative effects of the fish farmers activities on public facilities and water supply to the people of the Ilorin metropolis.

He, therefore, directed all the fish farmers to stop the discharge of their effluent into the dam with immediate effect.

Agbaje also directed that 250-metre minimum setback as stated in the law be maintained by all the fish farmers operating by the dam side.

“It has also been agreed that government must now have the data of and certify all the fish farmers operating in Asa dam area.

“A seminar on safety measures will be organised for them by the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA).

“Effluent treatment machines of affordable cost should be procured for use by the operators, while KWEPA will carry out routine inspections of their activities for public safety.

“It is also recommended that the fish farmers operating around the dam area be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.

Agbaje observed that the effect of fish farming activities along Aliara, Egbejila, Panpo and other areas had reached an alarming stage.

“The effect of effluent being discharged into Asa dam lake has great impact on the water supply facilities in Asa dam waterworks, such as GRP I beam, that supports the lamina tube, and filtration media equipment, resulting into high wastage.

“The discharge of effluent to the Dam increases the cost of treatment of water and reduces the quantity of treated water supply to the citizenry. This has to be addressed now,” the commissioner said. (NAN)